Nine-year-old twin sisters Cayden Hinde, left, and Carlisle Hinde pose with a pair of deer they bagged within minutes of each other Nov. 18. It was the first deer for both young ladies. (AP Photo/HONS,Courtesy of John Hinde)

Twin sisters bag deer 10 minutes apart

December 23, 2012 at 07:50 AM

LES WINKELER

The Associated Press

MURPHYSBORO, Ill. (AP) — Carlisle and Cayden Hinde, 9-year-old twin daughters of John and Sara Hinde of Murphysboro, took togetherness to a new level Nov. 18 when they killed their first deer — 10 minutes apart.

It was the first deer for both young ladies. And, both got their deer on the first shot.

Not only that, they were sitting on each other’s laps while hunting.

Carlisle got the first shot.

“She was sitting on my lap,” Cayden said. “I was thinking I hope she gets it.”

Carlisle got the first opportunity as the result of winning a shooting contest.

“They’d been practicing all summer,” John said. “I asked the girls how we were going to decide who gets to go first. We decided to have a shooting competition. I said do you want to do the grades on your report cards? They said no, so we went out to the farm and shot targets. Carlisle got to shoot first, so she was up, but not for long.”

The girls, who are fourth graders at Murphysboro Christian Academy, had accompanied their father in the field Friday morning and evening, Saturday morning and evening of the second firearm season. The first opportunity to take a deer occurred Sunday morning.

“The girls were snuggled up together in a chair, wrapped up in a sleeping bag, and I nudged Carlisle and said, ‘There’s a buck,’” John said. “She got up. They were both looking. To get the angle she needed, she wasn’t high enough in that chair. So she sat on Cayden’s lap. Cayden kept wanting to see what’s going on and Carlisle is like, ‘You’ve got to hold still. I can’t shoot.’”

They finally got the shot they wanted and Carlisle made the opportunity count.

“It was exciting,” Carlisle said. “First a buck came out, then the one I shot was behind a tree. Then it came out. She was like at 30 yards and I got it.”

The trio was still celebrating their good fortune in the blind when Cayden spotted another deer. She remembers the moment well.

“Oh, there’s another one behind the tree I better tell dad,” she said. “I was pretty nervous too.”

This time Cayden climbed on Carlisle’s lap to get the perfect angle.

“We got Cayden lined up,” John said “She sat on Carlisle’s lap. She made a great shot too. I couldn’t believe it. In like 10 minutes we got two deer.”

Carlisle shot a doe and Cayden’s deer was a button buck.

And, their reaction when the second deer went down?

“I can’t wait to tell mom,” Carlisle said.

The girls had accompanied their dad in the field on previous hunts. They passed their hunter safety course this summer. As a reward, John bought a youth model .20 gauge for the girls.

They had not fired the gun prior to the hunt.

Now, with memories of a successful deer hunt, the girls, and dad, are anxiously awaiting the youth turkey season.

“We got to spend time with our dad and just hang out together in the blind,” Carlisle said. “And, it was exciting when you finally get one.”